Folding furniture.



PATENTBD MAY 8, 1906.

W. N. ANDERSON. FOLDING FURNITURE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 25, 1905.

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ANDREW. a. GRAHAM ca. Pnoru-umocmmins. wAsumnrcN, ay :1

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, 1906.

Application filed July 25, 1905. Serial No. 271,239.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. ANDER sON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at San Rafael, county of Marin, and'State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Furniture; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference .being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to certain improvements in folding furniture, especially tables and seats for temporary use in halls and other public places where the floors or space has to be employed for difierent purposes.

My improvement consists in supplying to the inwardly-folding legs of furniture of this class a removable strut-bar with extensible stops whereby the said legs may be adjusted and kept rigidly extended in the proper position for use, as hereinafter described, and illustrated by a drawing that forms a part of this specification.

Referring to the drawings, Figure I is a side view of a common table provided with my improved devices for folding when out of use. Fig. II is a bottom view of the same table with its supports folded and in form for packing when out of use. Fig. III is an end view of a seat or bench provided with my improved folding legs or supports, also with a hinged back-support. Fig. IV is a front view of Fig. III.

In most public places where lectures and banquets are held, also in open-air places of he kind, there is required seats and tables that can be easily removed and replaced or transported, and the further requirement that these be of simple construction and not liable to injury by handling. To meet these circumstances, I construct tables as shown in Fig. I, where l is the top or main table, 2 and 3 folding legs or supports mounted by hinges 4 on a strong cross-bar 5, to which the tabletop 1 is secured.

The legs or supports 2 and 3, when extend ed, as in Fig. I, abut firmly against the crossbar 5 and remain rigid so long as they stand at a right angle to the top 1. This position is secured by means of a strut 7, that is preferably a metal rod, as shown.

When the table is erected, as shown in Fig. I, the nut 8 is screwed back on the rod 7, and this end is inserted through the crossrail 9 of the leg 3. Then a short extension on the other end is inserted in the cross-rail 10 and thenut 8 screwed forward, as shown.

When the legs 2 and 3 are folded fiat, as in Fig. II, this strut 7 is for convenience held by swivel-clips 12 beneath the legs, as shown.

In the case of seats to accompany the folding tables I provide similar supports or legs, as shown in'Figs. III and IV, abutting when extended against the cross-rails 5, held by struts 7.

When the seats are of considerable length, I em loy two sets of the folding legs, as in Fig. V, where one set is shown in their extended position and the other set or pair partially folded.

The seats when required can be made with hinged backs 14 to fold down as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. III, and the depth of the whole when folded occupy not more than one-fifth of the vertical room required for packing solid seats.

Having thus described the nature and objects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In folding furniture, a main top part provided with cross-rails beneath at each end to stiffen and reinforce the same, legs hinged to said cross-rails, folding inwardly against the top part, opening to a position at right angles thereto, abutting at top against said cross-rails to limit their extension to said position, and provided with inwardly-facing sockets near their lower ends, a strut-bar whose ends are adapted to be inserted in the sockets, said strut-bar being screw-threaded at one end for a suitable distance and provided with a running nut which may be advanced against the inner face of the leg when the strut is in place, to maintain said legs in rigid open position, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my WILLIAM N. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

ALFRED A. ENQUIST, ELMER WICKES. 

